Keith Wass: Trial for alleged attack vacated due to coronavirus concerns

Keith Wass - known as the colander-wearing ‘pastafarian’ - has had his trial vacated over an alleged attack on the general manager of Thredbo Alpine Village after he fell ill.

Pastafarian Keith Wass wearing his trademark colander on his head. Picture: Kate Lockley

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A ‘pastafarian’ who police allege attacked the general manager of Thredbo Alpine Village after he was banned from snowboarding in a Chewbacca costume has seen his trial date vacated due to coronavirus concerns.

Keith Melvyn Wass is self-isolating in his Blue Mountains home after falling ill over the weekend, a court heard on Monday.

The 53-year-old is accused by police of bludgeoning Jordan Rodgers during a heated argument in August 2017, repeatedly hitting Mr Rodgers on the head with his snowboard causing him facial and dental injuries.

Keith Wass dressed in his Chewy costume.

A subsequent post on his Facebook page suggested the alleged confrontation came after Mr Rodgers banned him from riding the slopes in his Star Wars outfit.

He is charged with using an offensive weapon with intent to cause an indictable offence.

Wass is an adherent of the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and often appears in public sporting a colander on his head for “religious observance”.

He became the second person in NSW to win the right to wear a colander on their head in a driver’s license photo.

Barrister Peter Pearsall told Judge Chris O’Brien on Monday that Wass had flagged the idea of wearing a hazmat suit to the District Court, where his trial was due to begin.

Wass’ condition had deteriorated overnight, the court heard, with the Blaxland man complaining of symptoms such as cold sweats, a sore throat, shortness of breath and a headache.

“I hope it’s just stress, not coronavirus,” Mr Pearsall told the court, adding that his client suffers from diabetes and heart problems.

He asked for a four-week adjournment for the symptoms to run their course “one way or the other”, which Judge O’Brien granted.

The matter will return to court on April 16.

Keith Wass uploaded several posts in his Star Wars outfit on the weekend of the alleged incident.